Sunshine
by chalewhale
Summary: Modern AU - Break's baking in the kitchen, and Sharon interrupts his cooking to join in herself.


There was something about watching Break dance around the kitchen that was positively enthralling. Why this was, Sharon didn't have the slightest idea. All she knew was that watching him bake, never mind all his singing, had to be one of the most wonderful things she had the pleasure of witnessing.

Perhaps it was how the corner of his mouth never gave that subtle grin of his up. Not everyone would notice it, it was a discreet expression at most, but Sharon would see it. It was more than that though. It was the way he hummed to himself as he was stirring, the way he tapped his fingers over the pages of his recipe book, how he would steal tastes of the batter when he thought no one was looking. And when he knew they were. It was like he entered this other world, his own little corner of heaven. Maybe that's what it was beyond anything else, happiness like that was something he wore exceptionally well.

She was supposed to be studying. That's what Break thought she was doing, at least. In her defense she was trying to stay focused, it was just that he was so distracting she really couldn't help herself. He probably knew she had been staring, normally he always caught her when she couldn't seem to take her eyes off him, but something told her he was too engulfed in what he was doing to notice. All the better for her then, it would be embarrassing if he knew how much he captivated her.

"_You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are grey." _Break's voice, charming and filled with a sort of playful joy, sounded throughout the apartment. Was he even aware how loud he was singing? Considering the amount of studying she _wasn't _doing, she didn't really care, but he didn't normally sing that loud. Only if he was in a really, really good mood, and even then it was uncommon. It was too bad, he had such a lovely voice. Maybe that was something most people wouldn't agree with her on, but she thought it was perfect. Then again, she thought everything about him was perfect.

Laughing to herself as she watched Break spin around the kitchen, stopping every so often to put something away into one of the cupboards, Sharon left her seat on the couch. She couldn't help it. There was just something about watching him bake that put her in an affectionate mood. She should really be studying, but hey, a short break wouldn't do any harm, would it?

"_You'll never know dear, how much I love you."_ This line she sang by herself, smiling at Break as she approached him. He returned her grin with one of his own, the kind she only got to see when he was in his best of moods. The one where his eye sparkled and face lit up and there was nothing more perfect in all the world. "_So please don't take my sunshine away."_

They both paused for a moment, smiling at each other and standing no more than a foot apart. He really was stunning, and she loved the way he would look at her. It made her feel special. What if… what if she was to lean up right now and kiss him? She kind of wanted to. How would he react to that? Would it make him smile just as much, or-?

Her thoughts were cut off when she felt his hands reaching for hers. With a wry grin, he tightened his fingers around hers, taking a breath before:

"_You are my sunshine, my only sunshine." _And he was moving, twirling her around the kitchen. Admittedly, he was a terrible dancer, and to even call what they were doing dancing seemed like some sort of offense. But nevertheless, Sharon giggled, trying to keep up with the words he was saying, but finding herself laughing far too hard to do so.

He never took his eye of hers. "_You make me happy, when skies are grey_." More spinning, another laugh from both of them. Sharon watched him with pure fascination, her heart skipping to whatever rhythm they were making with their steps. He was singing to her, she just knew it. The tone in his voice and sparking in his eye couldn't mean anything else. It wasn't often she got to see him so thrilled, he reminded her of a young boy and it intrigued her.

Break was positively radiant. He'd never believe it himself, and most people might call her mad for saying so, but he really was beautiful. The way his mouth curved up in the most enchanting of smiles, and the way his jaw and neck possessed a certain kind of almost delicate strength. Not to mention how that gorgeous red eye of his pulled her into it, and she couldn't possibly forget about his nose. Think, all that and that was just his face. Nevermind the rest of him. Like his hands, the way his fingers held on to her so strongly but carefully so. Why more people didn't see this, she didn't know. Why he couldn't see it in himself was a bigger mystery still. Well then, she'd just have to see it enough for all of them.

"_You'll never know dear…_" One last spin around the room before she was completely out of breath. Break seemed fine, but he stopped twirling her around anyway.

"_...How much I love you._" Now it was just them, hands still joined, smiling at eachother like they had been before. Neither of them moved. While Sharon finished laughing, Break's grin faded, he was looking at her seriously now. She might have wondered what had brought on such a sudden change if it wasn't for a flicker of emotion behind that eye of his. He looked tense, if not a little nervous, but there was something else there. Something that told her that he wanted her, and the idea was thrilling.

Since he had stopped singing, she continued, raising their hands together as she closed the distance between them. "_So please don't take…_" Stand up on her toes, lean in. Drop his hands to rest her own on his shoulders. He was okay with this, right? "..._My sunshine…_" Lean in closer, their faces just a whisper apart. Yeah, if he objected to this he would have pushed her away by now.

"_...Away._" The last word was a breath, and that was all the time Sharon needed to tilt her face up and press her lips to his. She closed her eyes as heat pooled into her face. He felt really, really good against her like that, so much so that it was almost dizzying. His lips were soft and warm, and the thought that she was the one chosen to be with him like this was exhilarating. Made her feel exciting, tempting, beautiful and alluring in her own right, and she loved it.

She expected him to pull away a few seconds later, but he didn't. Actually, he did quite the opposite. She felt his hands on her waist, and she was pulled closer to him. Intoxicatingly close, since when had he become so… exciting? Since the first time she had met him, probably, but there was something different about this moment that made all the other moments with him look petty. Her head was swimming in something that felt like hot and thick lava; she couldn't think. Couldn't move or breath, she felt like she was sinking into this adventure called Xerxes Break and it delighted her to no end.

The spell was broken when he pulled away for a breath. All at once, Sharon watched as he tensed, a vibrant shade of pink creeping onto that lovely face of his. It made her want to laugh. How someone like Break could be that embarassed over something as simple as a kiss, even after all this time, it was almost ridiculous. It was one of his more endearing traits she had to admit, and gave her the perfect opening to finally get back at him for all the time he had teased her.

His hands dropped from her waist, almost in a clumsy sort of fashion, and his gaze turned to the side. Avoiding looking at her, obviously. "I should get back to my cupcakes."

"Cupcakes. Of course." Break was just so cute at times, she couldn't stand it. Nevertheless, she let him go, remaining where she stood while he went back to his baking.

Now, she was about to go back to her own studying, but that was before she spotted the hint of red on the tips of his ears. Oh yes, that did happen when he was particularly embarrassed, didn't it? Considering the fact that she wasn't really in the mood to get back to her homework just yet, and the feeling of being affectionate hadn't left her yet either, this would be a good opportunity for some fun, now wouldn't it? Break had a way of always being able to tease her and make her squirm, it only seemed fitting that she would take advantage of the moment and do the same to him.

Mind made up, Sharon snuck around behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck. His body stiffened against her, and she resisted the urge to laugh. He was just so impossibly silly sometimes. "Goodness, Break, your face is really red. You're not coming down with a cold, are you?"

"No, I'm pretty sure I'm not."

"Hm, are you positive? What else could explain it then?"

He paused, apparently considering his words. It was rare to see him without an instant retort, she felt proud that it was her who triggered such a response from him. "I haven't eaten enough sugar today, so my blood is expanding in my veins. If it keeps up, I'll eventually burst."

"Oh really now?"

"Yes, its a serious condition. So if you'll excuse me, I have to finish baking before I explode."

This time she couldn't help but laugh. "Your ears are also really red."

"Nonsense, that's their natural colour. They're not red in the least bit."

Taking full advantage of the moment, Sharon stood just a little bit straighter so she could give another little kiss to the tip of his ear, which was certainly quite red. "Now they are."

Break didn't say anything when she pulled away again, so the two of them stood there in silence for a minute or two. It was a comfortable silence, he went back to his baking while she continued to hold him. It would be nice if they had more days like this, this was something she hoped she could have for the rest of her life. Just the two of them together, it was absolutely perfect.

It was a little while before either of them spoke up again, and it was Break's voice that eventually intruded in on the silence. "You're awfully shameless today, Sharon."

"Am I?"

"Yes." There was something in his tone that made Sharon doubt herself. While he didn't sound angry or annoyed, he also didn't seem _pleased_ by it, and she wanted to be able to please him. Were her kisses not good enough? She didn't really know how much experience with girls Break had had before coming to live with them, perhaps he was disappointed that she couldn't do better. Was that it? Was he acting all embarrassed because he simply didn't want to tell her she was no good and hurt her feelings?

Maybe it would be better to get back to studying anyway. She was just being a nuisance clinging to him like this, he couldn't bake properly with her holding him. So fighting back the tears that began forming in her eyes, she let him go.

For a moment he didn't do anything, and half of her was relieved about that. The other half, however, wanted him to tell her that she was just being silly. That of course he loved her being around, that her kisses and affections were good enough and that he enjoyed her. He wasn't going to, but in a subconscious effort to get him to say something else, she mumbled. "Sorry, I don't mean to keep you from your cupcakes."

"You're not."

"Huh?"

"I didn't mean it in a bad way." He sounded awkward. "About you being shameless, that is. I mean that I don't mind it, or anything like that."

How was it that he was able to tell what she was thinking? Were her thoughts that obvious, was she really that predictable? "Oh."

Another moment of silence before he spoke again, his voice hushed as if admitting something he really didn't want to say out loud. In a way, he probably was. "I kinda like shameless Sharon, so it's fine."

Now that brought heat to her face, seemed it was her time to turn red. For him to actually say such a thing, she didn't know how to respond. So instead of replying, Sharon just wrapped her arms around him again, burying her face in his back and breathing him in. He really was beautiful. And as he resumed his baking and started to hum to himself, she smiled. _"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine._" He sang softly. "_You make me happy, when skies are grey. You'll never know dear, how much I love you."_

"_So please don't take..."_

"_...My sunshine…"_

"_...Away."_


End file.
